Infield Groomer Would Take Aim at Rough Spots

Looking to minimize bad-bounce grounders and other hazards of diamonds in the rough, Bedford’s park maintenance crews hope to deploy upgraded gear for daily smoothing of the town’s five ballfields.

The new infield groomer would loosen up compacted clay and dirt, leveling out any low spots, and “generally creating a softer, safer surface for players,” William F. Heidepriem, superintendent of recreation and parks, said. “In-season, most of our fields are prepped for play on a daily basis,” he said. Bedford maintains parks in each of its three hamlets.

The town board Tuesday authorized Heidepriem to advertise for bids to provide the infield machine as well as a tractor loader backhoe, replacing similar equipment in use since the ’90s. The infield groomer, a John Deere 1200 A, is widely used to care for municipal baseball and softball fields, Heidepriem said.

Are you a park ball-player? Let us know what you think about the proposed new equipment.